maul

Everyday

1. To attack and hurt badly with claws and teeth, as a bear or big cat might. tree →
2. To handle something or someone roughly: the toddler mauled the cake. tree →
3. (informal) To beat a team or person very heavily, or to criticise strongly. tree →
4. (noun, rugby) A group of players pushing together around the player holding the ball. tree →
5. (noun) A heavy hammer for splitting wood. tree →

In the lessons

In news and safety lessons, «mauled by a dog/bear» warns of animal attacks. In sports reports a team that loses badly is «mauled». In rugby, a maul is a set play. Phrases: mauled by, mauled to death (news), rolling maul.

Examples

• The hiker was mauled by a bear but survived. tree →
• Never tease a dog; it might maul you. tree →
• Stop mauling the bread with your dirty hands! tree →
• Our team got mauled ten-nil. tree →
• The critics mauled the new film. tree →
• The rugby players formed a maul. tree →
• Dad split the logs with a maul. tree →
• The cat mauled my toy mouse. tree →

Note

Regular verb: mauled. Do not confuse with «mall» (shopping centre), which sounds the same in many accents (homophone in much of the USA). Safety: stay calm and move away slowly from an angry animal; tell an adult.

In Jewish tradition

Proverbs compares a false witness to a maul, a sword and a sharp arrow. In Jeremiah God calls His people His maul to smash kingdoms.

Interpretation. Tradition teaches that false witness does great harm, as much as a weapon. Jeremiah's image shows God using a nation as a tool.

Examples

• As a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, so is a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour. (Writings PRO.25.18, JPS 1917) tree →
• Thou art My maul and weapons of war, and with thee will I shatter the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; (Prophets JER.51.20, JPS 1917) tree →
• A maul is come up before thy face; guard the defences, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily! — (Prophets NAM.2.2, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Regular verb: mauled. Do not confuse with «mall» (shopping centre), which sounds the same in many accents (homophone in much of the USA). Safety: stay calm and move away slowly from an angry animal; tell an adult.